Perspectives on Novel Technologies of Processing and Monitoring the Safety and Quality of Prepared Food Products

AI-based processing of future prepared foods: Progress and prospects

The prepared foods sector has grown rapidly in recent years, driven by the fast pace of modern living and increasing consumer demand for convenience. Prepared foods are taking an increasingly important role in the modern catering industry due to their ease of storage, transportation, and operation. However, their processing faces several challenges, including labor shortages, inefficient sorting, inadequate cleaning, unsafe cutting processes, and a lack of industry standards. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) will change the processing of prepared foods. This review summarizes the progress and prospects of AI applications in the sorting/classification, cleaning, cutting, preprocessing, and freezing of prepared foods, encompassing techniques such as mathematical modeling, chemometrics, machine learning, fuzzy logic, and adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system. For example, AI-powered sorting systems using computer vision have improved accuracy in ingredient classification, while deep learning models in cleaning processes have enhanced microbial contamination detection with high spectral imaging techniques. Despite challenges like managing large-scale data and complex models, AI has shown significant potential to inspire both industry practice and research. AI applications can enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of prepared foods processing, while also reducing labor costs, improving hygiene monitoring, minimizing resource waste, and decreasing environmental impact. Furthermore, AI-driven resource optimization has demonstrated its potential in reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainable food production practices. In the future, AI technology is expected to further improve model generalization and operation precision, driving the food processing industry toward smarter, more sustainable development. This study provides valuable insights to encourage further innovation in AI applications within food processing and technological advancement in the food industry.

Ready-to-Cook Foods: Technological Developments and Future Trends-A Systematic Review

Ready-to-cook (RTC) foods can significantly improve the cooking experience of busy or unskillful consumers, based on production involving technical combinations of food processing and packaging. Initialized by a market survey of 172 products in Beijing, this systematic review analyzes RTC foods' development status according to ingredients, packaging, and storage conditions to further clarify the scope of RTC foods. The working principles and efficacy of various food processing techniques, such as washing, cutting, marinating, and frying, and packaging design or innovations such as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were both summarized in detail, with attention to their ability to extend shelf life, reduce safety risks, and maximize production efficiency in RTC food production. The cutting-edge technologies that may potentially apply in the RTC food processing or packaging sector were compared with current approaches to visualize the direction of future developments. In conclusion, we have observed the specific pattern of RTC food varieties and packaging formats in the Beijing market and revealed the advancements in RTC food technologies that will continue playing a critical role in shaping this growing market, while challenges in scalability, cost-efficiency, and sustainability remain key areas for future research. The data and perspectives presented will articulate the conceptions and existing challenges of RTC food, foster consumer perception and recognition of similar products, and deliver useful guidance for stakeholders interested in such products.

Research on safety risk control of prepared foods from the perspective of supply chain

Prepared foods bring great convenience to people's lives, but they also entail safety risks in all aspects, from production to sales. The cooperation of the supply chain and the supervision of the government are key to promoting the safety management of prepared foods. This paper considers the government's regulation, focuses on the interaction relationship between the producer and the retailer of prepared foods, and builds an evolutionary game model to analyze the influence of collaborative decision-making between prepared food producers and retailers in preventing and controlling food safety risks under the government's regulatory strategy. The research finds that: (1) Under certain conditions, there are three stable equilibrium strategies within the prepared foods supply chain: bilateral low-safety inputs, unilateral high-safety inputs, and bilateral high-safety inputs. (2) Government regulators can influence the safety input behaviors of prepared food supply chain enterprises by adjusting investigation probabilities and punishment severity. (3) The safety input behaviors of these enterprises are influenced by various factors, including costs, revenues, brand image, reputation, and the consequences associated with contractual violations. This paper represents the first systematic analysis of prepared food safety from a supply chain perspective. It fills a gap in the existing literature in this area, offering guidance and suggestions for prepared food supply chain enterprises, as well as references and recommendations for government regulators.

Active and Intelligent Packaging: A Review of the Possible Application of Cyclodextrins in Food Storage and Safety Indicators

Natural cyclodextrins (CDs) can be formed by 6, 7, or 8 glucose molecules (α-, β-, and γ-, respectively) linked in a ring, creating a cone shape. Its interior has an affinity for hydrophobic molecules, while the exterior is hydrophilic and can interact with water molecules. This feature has been used to develop active packaging applied to food, interacting with the product or its environment to improve one or more aspects of its quality or safety. It also provides monitoring information when food is optimal for consumption, as intelligent packaging is essential for the consumer and the merchant. Therefore, this review will focus on discerning which packaging is most appropriate for each situation, solubility and toxicological considerations, characterization techniques, effect on the guest properties, and other aspects related to forming the inclusion complex with bioactive molecules applied to packaging.